Hear the Sirens Call Me Home
by SometimeAfterMidnight
Summary: "I'll wait for you to find me again...so don't take too long." A look into Finn and Rachel's lives post 'Once'. AU. Two parts.
1. Chapter 1

a/n: So I should have mentioned that I planned on following up 'Once' with a (two part) one-shot. After the reaction I received via reviews and direct messages I decided to get this up as soon as possible. It was important for me to end 'Once' just as the movie and musical did but, of course, I figured you would all be curious about what happened to Finn and Rachel. So, without further adieu, here is your epilogue (which was too long to be considered an actual epilogue).

Obviously it would be beneficial if you read 'Once' first but if you haven't you might still enjoy this (two part) one-shot, or at least be curious to find out what already happened between our favorite fated lovers.

I, of course, do not own Glee.

* * *

Rachel and Rowena stood side-by-side in the hanger at Lima's small, municipal airport and waited for the plane that would bring him home to them…for good. Finn had left for NYC just a week prior and his recent departure still burned in her heart. She hated the way their relationship had ended…hated the way she hadn't even said goodbye. She didn't know if anything was going to replace the regret she felt throughout her entire being but she hoped her husband might help.

Rowena clutched her hand and Rachel smiled down at her. She could tell that her daughter was nervous, which was unusual. She had tried her hardest to explain the situation to Rowena and she hoped that she would be on her best behavior when she saw her father. She had the tendency to make off-hand remarks and the last thing Rachel wanted was for Rowena to make the situation any more tense than it already was. Her husband needed to feel welcomed and wanted…he didn't need to be confused by anything Rowena might say, which, Rachel knew from experience, might be anything.

They stood with a few other families who were also awaiting the arrival of loved ones. Most of the other people stood with excited smiles plastered on their faces and glitter-covered signs in their hands. Rachel stood in sharp contrast to the happy air that filled the hanger, her lips pressed together in a nervous line.

In the distance there was the sound of propellers, which grew in intensity as the moments passed. Nervous chatter filled the space as the plane approached and Rachel gripped her daughter's hand tighter. The plane pulled right into the hanger and as soon as it stopped the door popped open and a rolling staircase was positioned to let the soldiers exit the plane. Her heart leapt up into her throat as the men and women began to file off the plane. There were squeals and the sound of tears but she stood solemnly, her eyes waiting to see something familiar. Soldier after soldier deplaned and made their way towards their loved ones but she hadn't yet seen her husband. She was prepared to inquire with the Major and see if he knew anything but then her eyes flickered to the stop of the staircase.

He stood there for a minute and studied the scene in the hanger, almost like he was readjusting to what was perceived as normal. His eyes flitted around the room before they finally landed on hers. A smile spread across his face and she found herself smiling back. It _was_ good to see him.

"Daddy!" The word sounded foreign to Rachel as she heard it leave Rowena's lips. Her daughter pulled her hand away from hers and took off in the direction of her father. Her little girl's dark hair flew out behind her as she ran towards the plane. Rachel wanted to follow her but something kept her firmly planted to the spot where she already stood.

Her husband jogged down the stairs towards Rowena and knelt down just as she launched herself into his arms. He wrapped his arms around the little girl and lifted her into the air.

"Oh Princess," he breathed. He ran his hand over Rowena's hair and Rachel noticed that there were tears in his eyes. "It's _so_ good to see you. Your mommy has been so good about sending me pictures but you just look _so_ grown up. I guess I was expecting to see my baby and you're not a baby at all…you're all grown up."

Rowena beamed at him. "I'm almost seven, you know."

He kissed her cheek. "I know." He looked past Rowena's shoulder and right at Rachel. His eyes felt like lasers on her body. "Hi Rachel."

She smiled shyly and looked down at the ground. It was good to see him but instantly she knew that everything was different.

He felt like a stranger.

* * *

Finn lugged his guitar town Second Avenue in the direction of West Houston Street. He had a meeting with his producer and after leaving a studio in the East Village it was easier to walk rather than take the subway or a taxi. It was close to officially being spring…his favorite season. It wasn't always easy to notice the change in seasons in a city like New York. Other than the color of the leaves on the trees (or their existence at all) and what people were wearing, New York pretty much always looked the same.

New York was _way_ different from Lima. It had taken him awhile to get used to the people and the overall energy level. It still amazed him how you could be outside at four o'clock in the morning and it wouldn't look all that different than it did at four o'clock in the afternoon. It truly was a city that never slept and once he'd familiarized himself he discovered that he rather enjoyed it.

He'd been living in his smaller-than-a-shoebox studio for almost three months at that point. He'd been lucky to find a place in Chinatown that had a landlord that had been willing to give him a month-to-month lease and free food every now and again. Living above a Chinese restaurant known for its Dim Sum was definitely a perk. Plus, Mr. Ko was usually very kind to him and it was nice to occasionally see a friendly face.

Other than Mr. Ko, Finn didn't have many friends in his new city. He spent long hours with the record producer Sam had introduced him to, Joe Hart, and whenever he wasn't recording or mixing or writing he was bussing tables at a restaurant in Little Italy. Joe was a cool enough guy. He had dreads and wore sandals all the time (even in the winter) and they'd gone out for a beers a few times, but their relationship was pretty much professional.

He thought about Rachel a lot. Even though some time had passed he still missed her terribly. The lack of closure in regards to their situation still haunted him and not a day went by when he didn't wonder what she or Rowena were doing. Being in New York without them just didn't feel right, but he'd offered and she'd turned him down (repeatedly) so he had to move on with his life. He had to focus on what he was there to do and not on the girl he'd left behind.

He paused at the nondescript building at the intersection of Second and West Houston and rang the bell for Joe Hart's record label, Merriment Records. After he was buzzed in he greeted the security guard that sat in the lobby and took the elevator to the fourth floor. Joe was waiting for him as he walked off the elevator. On that particular day is feet were bare and a fedora was perched on his head.

"Hey…Joe," Finn said cautiously. It wasn't often that he was greeted in the hallway and the producer's appearance instantly made him nervous.

Joe had his hands pressed together and pushed against his lips so his thumbs were under his chin. If Finn hadn't known any better he would've thought he was praying. "I have news, man. Big, big news!"

"Ok…"

"You know we just finished mixing and mastering the re-record of your song?" Finn cringed but managed to nod. Learning to sing and play his signature song without Rachel's familiar voice and piano had been difficult. The new version just didn't sound right to him, although everyone else seemed to love it. "Well I played it for a buddy of mine who is the manager for that band, the Painted Dolls, and they want to offer you a spot as one of their opening acts on their upcoming tour! They want us to hurry up and put a full-blown CD together so it can be promoted at the shows. He's even going to set you up with a manager to oversee everything for you!"

Finn felt like he was a million miles away as Joe continued to tell him about the tour. Sure he was excited about the prospect of getting his name and his music out there but he couldn't help but think of Rachel every time he accomplished something else. She'd been so right about knowing this was his true calling and he couldn't get over how easily things were happening for him. It was almost like everything was meant to be.

He just couldn't help but wish that Rachel was standing beside him.

* * *

Rachel was speechless. There had been many times in her life when she'd had difficulty verbalizing her thoughts but she'd always at least had a million words floating around in her find. Not this time. Her mind was completely blank.

She stared at the dark, glistening piano that now sat in her living room. It was almost like visualizing a mirage. So many times she'd wondered what it would be like to be able to sit in her apartment and play her music. Sure, she could have had a keyboard but it wasn't the same. There was something about the resistance of the piano keys and the imperfect sound they sometimes made that fed her soul.

And now that dream was a reality. It blew her mind.

"Who sent the piano, Mama? Can we keep it?" Rowena asked as she played her own version of chopsticks and swiveled back and forth on the shiny bench.

She looked down at the CD in her hand and reread the note. _Finn_. She'd be lying if she said she didn't think about him every day, but distance was making their separation a little bit easier.

She had been focusing as much time as possible on reconnecting with her husband. It wasn't easy, but she hadn't expected it to be. He wasn't the same person she'd fallen in love with when she'd been in school. Her heart didn't speed up whenever she was around him. There weren't butterflies in her stomach at the simple thought of him. When he would touch her she would immediately pull away. All of those things, rolled together, just made her miss Finn even more. She couldn't even think about him without feeling how she was supposed to feel with her husband.

Rachel ghosted her finger over his signature. "Um…it's from Finn, Bumblebee. Do you remember him?"

Rowena pursed her lips and nodded. "Of course. I'm getting taller everyday because he told me his secret."

She chuckled at the memory of Finn whispering in her daughter's ear. "How could I have forgotten?"

She looked back at Rowena, who continued to play the new piano, and then back down at her hands. Finn had sent her an actual CD. There were only six tracks on it but it looked way more official than the generic demo they'd recorded at Crescent Studios. His picture was on the cover and the small print on the back indicated that it was published by Merriment Records, which was a subsidiary of the much better known Columbia Records. She was impressed.

She knew she shouldn't keep the piano. It would be like having a piece of Finn in that apartment every day and she wasn't sure if she was ready to handle that. She already had a hard enough time focusing on her husband with Finn's memory still so strong in her mind. But as she looked at the immaculate instrument she couldn't help but think how _right _it felt in the apartment.

"We can keep it," she found herself saying before she could attempt to talk herself out of it.

Rowena's shrieks were loud. She leapt off of the piano bench and into Rachel's arms. They were so busy gushing to one another over the excitement of having a piano in their apartment that they didn't notice that they were no longer alone.

"Wow…what's this?"

Rachel's head snapped towards the doorway to see her husband standing in the foyer, his arms filled with the groceries she'd discarded in the hallway when she'd heard the piano. He took a few steps into the apartment and put the groceries down on the dining room table. Rachel took that opportunity to bury the CD and note card in the couch. She wasn't ready to explain _that _to her husband yet.

"We got a piano, Daddy!" Rowena exclaimed as she ran over to greet him.

The relationship between husband and wife might not have been anything to write home about, but the same thing couldn't be said about the relationship between father and daughter. Rowena had taken to her father immediately and Rachel was glad for that. Now that their daughter was old enough to understand and ask her own questions their bond had flourished. The two of them had very much become a family.

"I can see that," he said. He sat down on the chair and pulled Rowena onto his lap. "Where did it come from?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. It was here after school. But Mommy opened the card that was sitting on top of it and said it came from Finn."

He looked down at their daughter and then up at Rachel. "Who's Finn?"

Rachel opened her mouth to answer but Rowena responded instead. "He's Mommy's friend. He came over one time and told me a secret and helped tuck me in. But then he went away. A lot of the time she just listens to a song they sang and sometimes she cries."

Rachel sucked her lips into her mouth. Yep. That pretty much summed up her relationship with Finn.

* * *

Being on tour was weird.

Finn pretty much lived on a bus now with the occasional overnight in a hotel. Every day he got up on a dark stage and sang for an audience that had some to see the band he was opening up for, the Painted Dolls. Usually he played through chatter and chants for the 'Dolls' but sometimes he received polite applause. Those were the best nights.

He poured his heart into every performance. He played songs that still made his whole being ache for Rachel. He wondered all the time if she'd gotten the CD he'd sent with the piano. He hadn't expected her to call or try to contact him in anyway but he hoped she knew that he was doing what she'd believed he could.

As he climbed off of the stage that night he couldn't help but notice there was something a little different in the attire the concert-goers wore. The 'Dolls' were kind of a grungy, hipster band and it wasn't unusual to see people dressed in the expected skinny jeans and converse combination. But that night people were almost dressed up. It wasn't until after he passed a sailor, a banana, and a slutty nurse that he realized it was Halloween.

Finn weaved his way through the concourse of the small venue he was playing at in Columbus called the Newport Music Hall. It was his first time back in Ohio since he'd left for New York and it felt strange to be back in the state he once called home. He couldn't help but think he was only two hours from Rachel. It was the closest he'd been to her in eight months.

After his set he usually sat at the merchandise table for awhile and signed CD's for anyone who came and bought them (there was also a t-shirt with his name on it, but that was just strange). Sometimes there wasn't anyone, but occasionally there were a few people who would buy his music. He found it incredibly gratifying to talk to people who were affected enough by his songs to want to take them home. Plus, he was usually entertained by Sugar Motta, who ran the merch table.

He slid onto the collapsible chair behind the table and said hello to Sugar. She passed him the Red Bull she always had waiting for him and pushed her furry headband back on her head. He smiled at her and picked up his Sharpie.

He wondered if he would sell any CD's that night.

-_Later-_

It had been Rachel's idea to come to the show.

She'd been sitting on the couch in the apartment, listening to Rowena practice the piano, while she leafed through the Lima Gazette. She was glancing through the Arts & Leisure section when she'd seen it.

'_One Night Only at the beautiful Newport Music Hall in Columbus, Ohio. The Painted Dolls with Opening Act, Finn Hudson. All Ages'_

Her heart had immediately began to pound, almost to the point where she thought it might pound right through her chest. Finn. He was on _tour_. He was playing his songs for an audience every night. People around the country were seeing him play live _every night_.

She'd wiped away her tears as quickly as she'd made her decision. She was going to the concert.

Rachel pulled Rowena through the main corridor of the Newport Music Hall. Her husband had night class at the community college that night and her dad's were out of town at a conference so she hadn't had to make any excuses. As soon as she'd picked Rowena up from school Rachel asked if she wanted to go to a concert. After informing her that they weren't going to see Adam Pascal for the seventh time, she'd told her they were going to see Finn. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen her daughter so excited.

"I'm not sure why you _insisted _on wearing your costume, Rowena Claire," Rachel muttered. "I brought you a perfectly acceptable change of clothes. I even packed jeans."

She looked down at her daughter who was busy flapping her leotard covered arms. Rowena had insisted on keeping on the peacock costume that she'd worn to school earlier that day. Along with her royal blue leotard she also wore a matching tutu and leggings with a full fan of feathers behind her back. Her hair was in braided pigtails and shiny purple mask covered her eyes.

"Mama, it's _Halloween_," Rowena said dramatically. "I might even sleep in my costume tonight."

Rachel shook her head. Rowena was definitely becoming her own person and when she thought about it she didn't really see any reason to tell her she couldn't wear the costume. Once they'd gotten to the venue and seen all the other costumes _she_ was actually the one who looked out of place in her dark jeans and sweater.

They'd gotten to the venue much later than she'd anticipated and they'd arrived halfway through Finn's set list. They hadn't even had the chance to make their way to their seats. They stood in the back of the theater and watched.

Seeing Finn again hit Rachel like a ton of bricks. They were easily ten yards away from him but the invisible draw she'd always felt towards him was still very evident.

Rachel watched, mesmerized, as Finn's fingers danced against the guitar strings. There was something completely hypnotizing about the way his mouth formed as he sang and passion just radiated from his being. As she watched him sing she was instantly transported back to Schuester Music. She was sitting next to him on the piano bench and trying not to notice the way she saw him looking at her out of the corner of her eye. She remembered trying her hardest to ignore the way her heart had sped up and how she'd felt an unseen force that seemed to be pulling them together.

It had always been like that with her and Finn. Something greater than themselves kept drawing them together and each time she saw him that feeling only intensified. She still felt it as she stood in the back of the auditorium and she was amazed that she could feel something so strong when almost nine months had passed since she'd seen him last.

His set ended and he mumbled a quick thank you to the audience and informed them that he would be signing CD's at the merchandise table in the back of the venue if anyone was interested. He hurried off the stage and the crowd immediately began requesting that the headlining band begin to play. Rachel turned her head in the direction of the lobby. She really had no interest in watching the 'Dolls' play.

"Well…aren't we going to go?"

Rachel looked down at Rowena, who was staring up at her expectantly. Her dark eyes sparkled at her through her mask. "Do you think we should?"

Rowena ran one of her peacock feathers through her hand. "Probably. I bet he wants to see us even more than we want to see him."

She laughed slightly. "What makes you think that?"

"Look how sad he was when he was singing. When he was with us he wasn't ever sad. I'm sure that seeing us would make him happy again."

Everything seemed so simple when looked at through her daughter's eyes. Finn had appeared to be a little distressed as he performed and she couldn't help but wonder if she was the root of his sadness. Perhaps she was thinking highly of herself, but she remembered the joy that had always been visible in Finn's eyes when they'd been together. His feelings for her had been obvious…did he still feel the pain from her lack of reciprocation?

"Come on," Rachel instructed.

Rowena followed her mother obediently into the lobby of the venue. Their hands found one another as they fought through the swarm of people, most of whom were headed towards the auditorium in anticipation of the main event. Rachel felt like a salmon swimming against the current as she raised up onto her tiptoes in search of the table where Finn would supposedly be sitting.

"There!" Rowena announced. She dropped Rachel's hand and pushed through the crowd. She ignored her mother's calls to wait and moved through the sea of people as if she'd seen something that Rachel must have missed.

Rachel tried her best to follow her daughter's feathers through the crowd. Somehow they found the merchandise table in the crowded lobby and she watched as her daughter walked right passed all the people in line and tapped Finn on the arm. She kept her distance and watched as he turned his attention to the child who was wearing a bright purple mask.

Her heart warmed as she watched Finn smile at her daughter. He lifted his hand to touch one of the feathers that decorated her back. "Hey…cool costume!"

She couldn't help but smile at the confusion and frustration that overtook Rowena's demeanor. "Don't you recognize me, Finn?"

He shook his head. "I don't think so…do I know you?"

The little girl put her hands firmly on her hips. "Perhaps you're confused because I've taken your advice and listened to my mother. I suppose I _am_ quite a lot taller now." Finn's eyes grew wide with recognition. "It's me, Rowena Claire Berry." She lifted the mask from her eyes and stared expectantly at him.

Rachel noticed the way Finn's eyes immediately left her daughter and began to search for her. Obviously he'd assumed that she couldn't be far away. His eyes searched the crowd for a moment before they landed on hers. She watched as all the color faded from his face and he swallowed.

"Rachel."

-_Later-_

Finn felt like he'd seen a ghost. Rachel. _His_ Rachel. She stood before him like no time and so much time had passed at the same time. She pretty much looked the same…dark hair that settled against her shoulders, eyes that glistened as they focused on his. He fought the immediate urge to go to her and instead remained behind the table. He awkwardly gestured in the direction of the line of people who were waiting for his autograph…well, before Rowena had jumped the line and interrupted pretty much his entire focus.

His breath hitched in his throat as Rachel took a couple of steps closer to him and reached for Rowena's shoulders, pulling the child against her body. "It's ok. We'll wait."

He couldn't remember the last time he'd signed his name so quickly or been so short with his fans. He didn't like giving off the perception that he didn't care but the truth was that at that moment he couldn't concentrate on anything else but Rachel. He watched her out of the corner of his eye and noticed the way she watched him. He couldn't believe she was actually there.

After he signed the last of the CD's and the 'Dolls' now familiar music could be heard wafting into the lobby, he stood up from his chair and walked over to Rachel and Rowena.

"So…um…what are you guys doing here?"

Rachel twirled a strand of her hair around her finger and he was glad to see that some things never changed. She was nervous. "I saw an advertisement in the paper and we didn't have any plans tonight so we decided to make the trip down here and see your show. It's lucky that Lima had their Trick-or-Treating last weekend or I don't think _someone_ would have been so willing to come…"

Rowena quickly shook her head. "Nuh-uh. I would much rather see Finn than get Halloween candy. Besides, Daddy says that all that candy is going to make my teeth fall out and keep me awake until I'm thirty."

With one simple word the smile dropped from Finn's face. _Daddy_. The fact that Rowena had referred to her father as 'Daddy' only meant one thing…she had a relationship with him. And if Rowena had a relationship with her father then that meant that he was still in their lives.

Finn cleared his throat. "How _is_ your husband, Rachel."

"Fine," she answered quickly. "He's taking business classes at the community college and living actually not that far from your step-father's shop. In fact I've waved to him numerous times when I've been dropping off or picking up Rowena."

_Dropping off or picking up Rowena_. The phrase replayed over and over in his mind. They obviously weren't living together. He fought against the urge to pump his fist in the air. He didn't know their current situation at all but he couldn't help but feel slightly satisfied that Rachel and her husband hadn't returned to the wedded bliss that he feared.

"So…" he started. He had a million questions to ask her but it wasn't the place and the time wasn't right. There were no words to describe just how good to was to see her and Rowena, to know that they were ok.

"We should probably go," Rachel said gently. "We have a long drive home and someone has school tomorrow…"

Rowena's eyes grew wide. "Oh no, Mommy, that's quite all right. I would much rather stay in Columbus and visit with Finn."

They both laughed and Finn felt his heart expand. Her laugh just brought all those old feelings back, feelings that he'd pushed aside but never really forgotten. He reached out and tugged gently on one of the little girl's braids.

"I'm sure you would," Rachel agreed. "But we have to go." She turned her attention in his direction. "I'm so glad we got to see you and witness a little bit of your stage show. You sounded wonderful. Oh…and thank you for the piano. It was a completely unnecessary gift, but appreciated nonetheless."

"When can I see you again?" There was no hesitation in his voice. He ignored everything she'd said and focused on the only thing he really wanted…her back in his life.

She looked up at him shyly. "I'm not sure, but you have my number, right? Text me sometime?" He nodded dumbly. Rachel pulled her purse strap higher on her shoulder and reached for Rowena's hand. "I'm so proud of you, Finn." She stared at him for a minute, for a little longer than was really necessary.

He felt like he was flying as they both waved and walked away, disappearing as quickly as they'd appeared. The music floating out from the 'Dolls' show mixed in with Sugar's insistent 'who _was_ that' and everything fell on completely deaf ears.

Rachel had come to see him. She had come to see _him_. He'd been waiting for nine months, ever since the night before he left for New York, for her to show up and she finally had. He fished in his pocket for his phone and then scrolled through his contact list for Rachel's number. She had suggested that he text her and he wasn't about to deny her request. His thumbs tapped deftly against the screen and he hesitated only a moment before he pushed send.

She was back…even if it was only slightly.

* * *

Rachel sat at the dining room table, her attention solely focused on the cell phone she held in her lap. Her hair fell forward slightly and shielded her face as she read the message on the screen. She sucked her lips into her mouth to try and disguise the smile that had formed on her lips and glanced in the direction of her husband out of the corner of her eye.

He was watching her.

She quickly looked away from him and tucked her phone between her thigh and the chair she sat on. It was Thanksgiving and she didn't want to cause any more tension. An invisible cloud of stress and anxiety already filled the room and she could tell by the way her father's glanced nervously at each other that they felt it to.

She'd been texting Finn for nearly a month at that point. Ever since she'd received that first text as she and Rowena walked to their car that day in Columbus they had pretty much been engaged in one, continuous conversation. She looked forward to waking up every morning to see what kind of greeting he would leave for her and she reveled at the fact that he always seemed to be able to make her smile. She liked hearing about his life on tour and having someone to tell about her daily excitements at the music store. Plus, since he'd sent them the piano she had started giving Rowena lessons and she enjoyed sharing her progress with him. He was so supportive and intuitive and _wonderful_ and she felt herself falling a little more each day they talked. She thought all their time apart might have changed her feelings but it really hadn't. The second she'd seen him again everything she felt had just been confirmed. She wasn't really sure what exactly she felt for Finn but it felt a whole lot like love.

As they sat at the table in preparation of celebrating their Thanksgiving dinner, she could feel her husband's eyes on her. Things between them were cordial at best. He still lived on the other side of Lima and their interactions consisted of a brief hello whenever they would exchange Rowena. He had tried on numerous occasions to spend time with her one on one, but she always found a reason to turn him down. She'd only kissed him once since he'd been back in town and she didn't want to give him any indication that she wanted to do anything else.

Their distance was obvious. The more time that passed the more she was convinced that things were over. Finn was her focus…he had been for almost a year now…but he hadn't been the cause of the separation she felt from her husband, that had been evident for quite some time. Finn's reentrance into her life had just reiterated the things she already new.

She was still working up the courage to tell him and she would but Thanksgiving dinner with her parents and their daughter hardly seemed like the place.

Her phone vibrated underneath her leg and she stealthily pulled it into her lap. She smiled at the picture of Finn that appeared on the screen. He was eating his Thanksgiving dinner, alone, at the Chinese restaurant in his building. She was saddened that he was alone for the holiday. No one should be alone on a holiday.

"Who're you talking to, Rach?" She glanced at her husband who had just shoved a forkful of Tofurky in his mouth. "Your phone has been going off pretty much all day."

She felt her face redden. She realized she hadn't exactly been _discreet _in regards to her relentless texts but she didn't think her lack of focus had been as noticeable as it apparently was.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about." She mixed a forkful of corn with some mashed potatoes and quickly shoveled the food into her mouth.

"I can practically feel the vibrations through the floorboards. You've been on your phone all day. Why are you being so secretive? That's not the Rachel I know."

She glared at him. The Rachel _he _knew? He didn't know anything about her…not really at least. She wasn't the same starry eyed teenager who had fallen head-over-heels in love with him during her freshmen year at NYADA. She had changed so much over the past decade and she'd done most of that changing without him. She'd grown up and they'd grown apart. It was as simple as that.

"It was probably just Finn."

Rachel's immediately turned her attention in the direction of her daughter. She sat across the table and absentmindedly speared a green bean with her fork. Rowena smiled innocently and popped the vegetable into her mouth. It was obvious that she wasn't aware she'd said anything wrong.

"What did you just say?" Her husband placed his silverware on the table and folded his hands in his lap.

Rowena shrugged. "Mama talks to Finn all the time. Sometimes he texts her in the middle of the night but she doesn't always wake up to answer it. Once in awhile I hear it and wake up. I can read his name because she leaves her phone on the nightstand."

Rachel wanted to crawl under the table and die. She couldn't yell at her daughter for telling the truth but she hadn't expected it all to pour out in accordance to her seven year old.

Rowena continued to eat her meal like nothing had happened. She glanced back and forth between them but remained silent. The tension that had already filled the room now hung in front of her face like a thick black smoke. Rachel didn't dare look at her dad's. She could only imagine the expressions they wore on their faces.

"I don't really know what to say," her husband said calmly. He was too calm.

The phone buzzed again in Rachel's lap and she closed her eyes. She loved talking to Finn more than anything but now was not the time to be interrupted by his pictures or other random babble.

"Could I talk to you in my room please?" She wiped her mouth with her napkin and looked in her husband's direction.

"Sugar Plum, I really don't think this is the time to have a serious discussion. It's Thanksgiving. Can't you two talk about all of this another time? Tomorrow?"

Rachel glared at her daddy. She loved her parents more than anything but she was growing weary from their constant scrutiny and interjection on all matters of her life. They had been living in close quarters for _far_ too long and she needed to remind herself to be on her best behavior to keep herself from saying something she would probably regret.

"Daddy, you know I appreciate your concern but this is between me and my husband. We need to talk and we're going to do it now. I'm sorry if that interrupts your Thanksgiving." She stood and indicated for her husband to follow.

Once they were securely closed in her and Rowena's bedroom Rachel looked at her husband, really looked at him for the first time since he'd been home. His hair had grown in from the buzz cut he'd been required to keep while in the army and there were small lines around his eyes and mouth that indicated just how much he had aged and how much time had passed. He still looked like the boy she'd once loved, albeit an older version of that boy.

"How long?" He asked. "How long have you been in-love with him?"

He sat down on the bed and she sat next to him. She twisted her hands in her lap and sighed. He didn't seen sad or even surprised. It was honestly like they were talking about the weather or any other random subject.

"I met him last winter. I saw him sing in a bar and later convinced him not to give up on his music even though he wanted to. I helped him record a demo and get out of this town because I believed in him. He lives in New York now." She cast her eyes in his husband's direction for a moment and then continued. "I didn't plan on falling in-love with him but it happened, even though I didn't want it to."

"So…have you…"

Her eyes widened in recognition. "No," she said softy. "I haven't even kissed him."

He let out a heavy sigh and ran his hands through his hair. "That's almost worse." He turned his head in her direction. "You must really love him."

She nodded. "I do. Listen, I'm really sorry. I don't want you to think that I don't love you or that I ever wanted to hurt you…"

"I know. It was never easy for us, I get that, and I always wondered if our relationship would really be able to weather reality." She watched as he looked down at the golden band that circled his left ring finger. "I guess I got my answer."

Rachel felt her heart break just a little bit. She didn't like failing at anything but continuing along as part of a loveless marriage wasn't something she felt like she wanted to succeed at. Truly, she was failing herself every day she continued to live her life without admitting the obvious…she was in-love with Finn.

"So what happens now," he asked. "Are you going to go back to New York? Be with him?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "He's been on tour off and on for awhile now. Plus, I've never told him how I feel…not really at least."

His eyes widened. "You've never told him?"

She smiled sheepishly. "I told him once, in Hebrew, but I was too afraid to tell him what the translation actually meant. I guess I should actually fess up to my feelings first and then go from there."

"Well I can always watch Rowena for a few days if you need to go."

Rachel smiled at the man who had once been her whole world. It saddened her as she realized that he did love her, and on some level she would always love him back. But she wasn't in-love with him anymore and she figured, by the relative ease he'd accepted the situation, that he wasn't really in-love with her either.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do. But if I need to leave you'll be the first person I tell."

He patted her on the knee and stood up. "Come on, let's not do anything else to ruin your fathers' Thanksgiving."

She watched as he opened the door and disappeared down the hallway.

It had been as simple as that. He just…let her go.


	2. Chapter 2

December had quickly become Finn's favorite month yet in Manhattan. The weather had been unseasonably cold for that time of year but it also made the whole city feel alive. Everything was decorated for the holidays and it all felt almost magical. Maybe that sounded corny or overly romantic (especially coming from a guy) but he couldn't help it. He looked at everything in a different light these days.

He'd been texting Rachel pretty much nonstop for a few weeks and it was kind of impersonal, but still great. He would have given anything to be able to sit beside her and feel her body pressed up against his. He would read one of her responses to something he'd said and he could almost hear her laugh. He ached for her, just like always, but their recent reconciliation had just fanned an already burning flame.

He had spent the night at a bar in the West Village having drinks with the first actual friend he'd made in New York. His name was Noah Puckerman, although he preferred to be called Puck, and he was a sanitation worker who played at an Open Mike night he liked to frequent. He'd complimented his song choice and gotten to talking about music and they'd started meeting at the bar to talk (and drink) twice a week. Finn enjoyed Puck's carefree way of experiencing life and liked laughing at his stories. He was very blunt and sometimes crass but it was entertaining and it felt good to have a friend again.

When he told Puck about Rachel he'd been surprised that he hadn't ended up with his friend's drink in his face. He had never seen someone laugh so hard before and it was almost unsettling.

"_So let me get this straight," Puck had said, putting his Miller Lite down on the table. "You're completely pussy-whipped by a chick you haven't even banged? Seriously, bro? What the hell is wrong with you?"_

Finn was used to this kind of response. He'd gotten a similar reaction when he'd told Joe about Rachel. Hell, even Mr. Ko had been rendered speechless when he'd explained his situation. But he didn't care. He and Rachel were right where they needed to be at that point. Sure, she was in Lima and he was in New York but they were talking and that was better than how they'd spent the better part of the last year.

There had been a storm earlier that evening and there was a light dusting of snow covering the sidewalk. His boots left rather large tracks against the white powder as he turned onto Bleeker Street. He was taking the long way home but he liked breathing in the crisp early winter air and enjoyed the holiday spirit that seemed to be all-around him. He walked past a bar he'd been in before called the Back Fence and was surprised to see their door propped open. He glanced in through the open door and saw that the bar was filled with people. He was curious, but it was late and he knew he should head home.

"Encore!" He heard someone in the crowd shout. It was quickly repeated by someone else, then another.

He heard someone speak into the microphone, although it was mumbled, and then heard the gentle sound of a piano that was met with cheers. He smiled, always glad to witness an amateur musician receiving praise for their performance.

He had turned to continue his walk home when he froze. The person in the bar wasn't just playing a song, they were playing _his_ song. He hadn't really received that much of a mainstream following despite his tour with the 'Dolls' so hearing someone playing his song at a bar in the Village was unexpected, to say the least.

He quickly walked up to the entrance and paid the cover charge to the bouncer at the door. He pushed into the room and stood in the back, the crowd slightly swarming towards the stage as the music continued. He chose not to buy a drink and instead turned his attention to the stage. He wasn't prepared for what he saw.

Seated behind the baby grand piano was Rachel.

He was immobilized by the sight of her performing _their_ song. It was completely surreal. It was one thing to think the song was being played by someone who had at least heard his music but to discover it was Rachel, _his _Rachel was…astounding.

She played the song perfectly, effortlessly and he was captivated by the way she held the entire audience's attention in the palm of her hand. For the first time in a long time he really listened to the lyrics and felt connected to them in a way he hadn't before.

_Falling slowly, eyes that know me  
__And I can't go back  
__Moods that take me and erase me  
__And I'm painted black  
__You have suffered enough  
__And warred with yourself  
__It's time that you won_

He realized right then that he was usually on autopilot when he played that song because he never remembered connecting with it quite like he was at that moment. That one verse was them…it was him and Rachel. The words that she'd written so long ago were right…it was time that he won. It was time that _they _won.

Finn waited until the song was over and the cheers from the audience had subsided before he approached the stage. She was talking to someone off the side of the stage but then she turned and their eyes immediately connected. All of the sudden it was like everyone else in the bar disappeared. It was just them. Just him and just her.

Rachel tucked a long strand of her straightened hair behind her ear. She excused herself from her conversation and walked towards him. "Hi," she said quietly, her hands clasped in front of her.

"You know, when you texted me earlier and said you were going to spend the night playing the piano this isn't exactly what I'd pictured." He gave her a smile and waited while she hopped off the stage to stand before him.

"I didn't think you'd actually find me. New York is such a big place and there are literally hundreds of bars you could have been hanging out with Puck in. Really, what are the chances you would be here."

Finn smiled. He felt a tug in the invisible tether between them and believed in its existence more than ever. She was right…what _were _the chances that he would stumble upon her on a random Thursday night in December?

"Well, I was actually just walking past on my way home when I heard a familiar song from the sidewalk. I had to come in and see who was playing such an obscure song. But I think the more important question here is why. Why are you here, Rachel Berry? You sure are a long way from Lima, Ohio. Did you take a wrong turn on your way home from Schuester's tonight?"

He watched as Rachel sucked her lips into her mouth. She waited a minute, almost as if she was mustering up the courage to speak to him. When she finally looked up at him she had tears in her eyes. He immediately began to panic.

"Whoa…whoa…what is it, Rach? Please don't cry."

She shook her head and quickly wiped her eyes. "No it's ok. They're happy tears."

He looked at her, confused.

"I can't do this anymore, Finn," she said gently. "I can't spend my days feeling completely empty anymore. I can't go to bed at night and continue to ignore the hollow feeling in my heart. I won't."

He stared at her. She didn't sound happy.

"I'm not supposed to be in Lima anymore. I woke up yesterday and everything just felt _wrong_. I felt tired, like everything had become so monotonous and expected, and the only thing I wanted to do was fall back asleep. But then I saw my morning message from you and it was a picture of you waving and smiling and that's when I knew."

Finn gulped. "Knew what?"

"That I had to be in New York." She wiped her eyes again and smiled at him shyly. "Correction, I had to be wherever you were."

He felt that feeling again, the one where he felt like he was flying or being surrounded by singing angels. His heart soared and he wanted to pinch himself to make sure this was all actually happening and it wasn't another one of his ridiculous fantasies.

"So I left Rowena with her dad, took a few days off from Schuester's, and took the first bus out of Lima. I had to be here. I couldn't wait any longer."

Being as cautious as possible (even though she was saying everything he'd always wanted to hear…he didn't want to scare her) he raised his hand to rest against her cheek. He brushed his thumb against her skin and locked his eyes with hers. She had come to New York…she had come to _him _and for the first time he felt like everything between them was actually real.

"Were you going to tell me you were here or were you just planning on playing our song all over the city until I heard it?" He was teasing her but he couldn't help it. His lame jokes were the only thing stopping him from squealing like a girl.

She giggled and reached for his free hand, linking them together. "I was going to tell you of course. I just needed a few days to work up the courage."

He pushed her hair behind her ear and traced his finger along her jaw line. His hand trailed down her arm until he grasped her other hand with his. "What could you possibly be afraid to tell me?"

It was almost like the feeling of his thumbs against her wrists brought her to life. Before he realized what was happening she had risen up on her tiptoes and pushed her lips firmly against his. Instantly he groaned into her mouth and dropped her hands so he could wrap his arms around her. She pushed herself against his chest and he just gripped her tighter. He wanted to feel her, all of her, as close to his body as he could.

He almost whimpered when she pulled away from him.

Finn continued to slide his hands over her back as he held her in the still-crowded bar. He would've gladly continued to kiss her until he felt he was going to pass out from the lack of oxygen but the Back Fence was hardly the place for a floor show. He'd been waiting ten long months to find out what he felt like to kiss Rachel and now that he had he definitely had no plans of stopping.

Rachel ran her hands up his chest to settle against his shoulders and leaned in to rest her face against his. It was a little awkward, since he was so tall and she was so short, but he would've gladly stayed hunched over forever if it meant he could feel his skin against hers.

"I love you, you know," she whispered against his ear.

He felt like all the wind had been knocked out of him, but in the best possible way. He smiled to himself…somewhere, deep down, he always hoped that she might.

"I love you, too," he whispered back.

He could feel her smile against his face. _This _was what happiness truly felt like.

* * *

She hated every second she was away from him. Rachel had been back in Lima for almost a week at that point but it felt like a lifetime. She had only been able to stay in New York for a few days but every moment of those days had been spent with Finn. Now that she'd admitted her feelings to him she felt…free. It was like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and her entire life had come into focus. She wasn't sure why she'd denied herself this new feeling for so long but now that she'd experienced it she had no intention of letting it go.

_They had been laying in Finn's bed with the blankets pulled up around them, his arm draped over her waist as he spooned her from behind. She glanced down at their laced hands and felt a strange, foreign pull in her heart. She didn't want to look at her hand anymore and not see Finn's fingers alongside hers. The true depth of the love she felt for this man had hit her like a ton of bricks._

_She pulled their clasped hands against her stomach and rolled onto her back so she could gaze up at him. She couldn't get enough of the way he looked at her. Once she'd finally allowed herself to really _see_ him she saw nothing but adoration in his eyes every time he looked at her. She wanted to count each of the freckles on his face and do nothing but smile back at the lazy smile he directed at her._

"_What are you thinking about, pretty girl? I've never seen you look so happy." Finn freed his hand from hers but continued to trace patterns against her blanket-covered stomach._

_She smiled up at him. "I don't think I've ever been this happy," she confirmed. "I'm just wondering why I waited so long to find out what your hands felt like against me or how your lips tasted." She pushed his hand tighter against her stomach and sighed at the added pressure. "I can't get enough of you, Finn Hudson."_

_He leaned over and pressed his lips against her cheek, followed by a few light brushes of his lips against her jaw line. Rachel felt like she was melting and at the rate things were going she would have been happy to spend the rest of her life as a puddle._

"_So what happens now?" he asked. "What am I supposed to do when you go back to Lima?" He moved his hand down to her hip and shifted her so their bodies were facing one another. "I don't know if I can go back to being without you…you know…_again_."_

_She frowned slightly and reached to rest her hand against his heart. "You know I'll never really go away…even if I'm not physically here." She tapped her fingers against his skin. "I have a lot of things I need to figure out in Lima but I'd like to think I'll end up back here eventually. That is, if you'll have me."_

_Finn attacked her face with kisses. She giggled as his hands slid against her sides but she immediately stopped laughing when he buried his face against her neck and kissed the spot that he'd quickly discovered made her completely fall apart. She felt his breath against her skin as he removed his lips from her neck and nuzzled the spot with his nose. _

"_You better come back," he mumbled. "And you better believe I'll be here whenever you come home."_

She hadn't expected being back in Lima to be so immobilizing. She still woke up to his good morning text every day and sometimes they were accompanied by a photograph, sometimes not, but she always got the sense that he wished she was there with him. She didn't have to tell him that she wished she was with him too. She called him in the afternoon on her way to pick up Rowena and relished at the way he ended every phone call with _see you soon, baby_. His goodnight text was the last thing she read before she closed her eyes. Her daily routine had been the only thing she could rely on to keep her from going insane without him.

When she'd arrived home that Friday afternoon she had checked the mailbox on her way into the apartment. She sifted through the bills and other assorted mail before she came across a thin manila envelope with her lawyer's return address on it. She flipped it over eagerly and pulled its contents into her hands. Her eyes danced over the document quickly. It was official…she was divorced.

It had been the most amicable thing in the world. They'd divided what little assets they had evenly and easily agreed on a custody arrangement in regards to Rowena. Rachel had been as honest as possible when she'd told her (now ex) husband that she had every intention of moving to New York as quickly as she could make the arrangements. He'd accepted the fact, not at all surprised that she planned on moving, and said that as long as she sent Rowena to visit with him for select holidays (and for two weeks over the summer) that they would work everything else out.

It had seemed almost like a dream when she'd sat across from him at the lawyers office and began the proceedings, but now that she held the official, notarized paperwork in her hands everything felt very real. Everything was done. There wasn't anything left to do, no more excuses to hide behind…with that paperwork her (now ex) husband had given Rachel her freedom and her future. All she had to do was get everything in order in Lima and then she could be on her way to fully experience the life she so desperately wanted.

She looked up at the staircase that stretched up into her apartment building and suddenly felt very small. It was time for her to explain everything to her dad's.

They weren't completely blind to everything that had been going on; Rachel just believed they chose to ignore most of what they saw or heard. It wasn't that they didn't realize that things between their daughter and her (now ex) husband had completely fallen apart beyond repair, it was what that disbandment meant. She was leaving, even though it hadn't been discussed in detail, and change was something none of the Berry's had ever been very fond of.

Rachel climbed the stairs to the apartment slowly and tried to focus on what was waiting for her in New York, not what she would be leaving behind. She was glad her (now ex) husband had been able to keep Rowena for the evening. Dealing with her father's was going to be emotional enough, reminding them point blank that they would also be losing daily contact with their seven-year-old granddaughter would surely throw them over the edge.

She used her key and let herself into the apartment. She quickly yelled out for her dad's that she was home but when she turned around and faced the living room she was startled to see they were already sitting next to each other on the couch, waiting for her.

"Hello," she said slowly.

"Why don't you put your things down, Snowflake, and we'll have a talk," her papa, Hiram, suggested.

Rachel did as instructed but kept a tight hold on the finalized divorce papers she'd just received. She sat down on the recliner that faced the couch, tucked the papers under her thigh, and folded her hands in her lap.

"Something's changed," her papa suggested. "Ever since you came back from your spontaneous weekend adventure it's like you've been here physically, but somewhere else entirely, mentally."

She nodded, confirming their suspicion. "Lima's not my home anymore, well not really at least." Her heart burned at the memory of Finn's arms tightly around her body and the quiet thumping of her heart against his. Her home was no longer a place…it was a person, a feeling. It was Finn.

"So what now? You're just going to up and leave everything you know, uproot your child, and move hundreds of miles away like it's the simplest decision in the world?"

_It_ is _the simplest decision in the world_, she thought.

"You can't relocate your entire life for a man, darling. It shouldn't work that way. You have to think about what's best for you, what's best for Rowena. If this man cares about you the way you think he does then he should understand that and respect it."

Rachel sighed. They were never going to get it. "I'm not moving for Finn," she said sternly. "Don't you remember that I put my life on hold a long time ago for my husband, our child, and that life? I have a lot of unfinished dreams of my own that are waiting for me in that city. Of course my life and my outlook on things are different than they were when I was a wide-eyed seventeen year old, but the dream…that's still there."

She looked at her fathers' and tried to read their expressions. They were both rather stoic and it made her uncomfortable. She had no doubt that her flare for the dramatic had been instilled by her parents and she waited for one, or both of them, to completely surrender to an emotional breakdown. A single tear slid down Hiram's cheek and LeRoy looked at her rather intensely, but that was it.

"We're really going to miss you, Cupcake," her daddy breathed, a little emotion evident through his steely façade. "It was hard enough saying goodbye the first time but having to say goodbye now, to both of you, is going to prove rather difficult. When will you leave?"

She shrugged her shoulders and reached for the papers that had been stuffed underneath her legs. "The finalized divorce papers came in the mail today along with the approved custody agreement. I want Rowena to finish up this semester at her school but I guess we'll move before or around the New Year. I have to officially put in my resignation with Will but it's not going to come as a surprise to him. I think he's still surprised that I didn't leave a year ago."

They continued to discuss her plans back and forth but half of the words that were spoken fell on deaf ears. She was so focused on Finn, so focused on going _home_, that everything else seemed to fade into the background.

* * *

His days were beginning to bleed together. His routine consisted of: wake up, studio, lunch, studio, dinner, studio, bed. The demanding schedule he was being forced to follow was draining, but necessary. Joe had every intention of having the full-length CD finished in time for a spring or early summer release. The intention to get the CD out so quickly meant shifting his entire focus. He wrote, recorded, re-recorded, and played until his brain felt like it was being turned to mush.

In some ways he was glad for the distraction. Being so preoccupied meant he couldn't spend countless hours missing Rachel. The weekend she'd spent with him had just confirmed what he'd always known…they were meant to be together. Being away from her now, after so much had changed, was becoming increasingly difficult. Although they'd spoken about her coming back to New York on numerous occasions nothing had ever been set in stone and being seven hundred plus miles from her was jarring. They were in-_love_, the tough part was supposed to be over, but he still found himself fighting an internal battle every day.

It was a Saturday in late December. Christmas and Hanukkah had come and gone and Finn had enjoyed picking out and sending presents for both Rachel and Rowena, along with something small for her dad's. He wasn't sure exactly how much detail Rachel had shared with them but he wanted to keep them on his good side and had no intention of neglecting them over the holidays. He wished he could've been there to watch their expressions while they opened their gifts. He'd spent a lot of time ensuring that he'd purchased the perfect gifts and, although his sentiments had been confirmed by Rachel over the phone, he would have preferred to have actually been there.

Recording that morning had gone well, so well that Joe had given him the rest of the day off. He was thrilled. He couldn't remember the last time he had the majority of a Saturday to himself. He planned on getting entirely too much takeout from Mr. Ko's and then lounging on his couch, napping and watching college football bowl games. It was seriously shaping up to be the best day ever.

He lugged his guitar down Canal Street, greeting his neighbors and other people he saw frequently out-and-about. Chinatown wasn't the most glamorous neighborhood in the city, far from it actually, but it had character and was as unpretentious as they come. Those things were far more important to him than a fancy address and a building filled with an entire list of amenities he would never be around to use. _When Rachel comes_, he'd told himself. He would upgrade his residence once she was permanently in the city, but until then he was doing just fine with his miniscule studio.

Finn had just turned onto his street when he heard yelling. He hurried down the sidewalk as quickly as he could, hoping that nothing was wrong with Mr. Ko or anyone else in his building. He hoped it wasn't anything serious like a break-in or a robbery. As he neared the building he noticed that the yelling was between a man and a women…probably a domestic dispute or similar. He was preparing to call the police and alert them to the situation when something in the woman's s tone rendered familiar. She yelled at the man in Mandarin (he didn't understand any of it, but he'd been around it enough to recognize the language) but he knew that voice.

Rachel.

He dropped his guitar on the sidewalk and froze a few feet away from the scene, watching the interactions. She was wearing a bright yellow pea coat with patterned tights and flat brown boots, a white beret perched atop her head. She had arms flung out to emphasize whatever she was yelling and Mr. Ko, well he yelled right back. The whole spectacle might have been entertaining if it weren't for the screaming.

Finn was just about to interrupt their very pubic disagreement when a new arrival on the scene, once again, froze him in his tracks. Skipping out of the restaurant, like nothing unusual was happening at all, was Rowena. Her puffy, purple coat contrasted with her ever-present dark braids and a striped scarf was knotted around her neck. She immediately tried to get Rachel's attention but she was subsequently ignored so her mother could continue her argument (still in Mandarin).

They were here. Rachel and Rowena. They were in Manhattan. They were at his apartment. It was like all the scattered pieces of a puzzle had finally come together.

In a few quick bounds he was down the sidewalk and had stepped in-between Rachel and Mr. Ko. He cast a long look at Rachel, still surprised to see her, and then looked at Mr. Ko, whose eyes were shifting back and forth with worry.

"What's going on here?" He asked. In English.

Rachel nervously tucked her hair behind her ears and shot an angry glance at Finn's landlord. "I was informing Mr. Ko that we would be parking the moving van out front for a short time while we unloaded our belongings and he just _exploded_. I then proceeded to enlighten him to that fact that his reaction was no way to treat a lady, especially one accompanied by a young, impressionable child."

"There's no room!" Mr. Ko replied, throwing his arms up in frustration. "I see that apartment and I know it. No space for these things! One person only!"

Finn understood where Mr. Ko was coming from. There really wasn't any room for Rachel and Rowena's truckload of belongings in his apartment. He had a bed, a crappy couch, and a table with two chairs…there wasn't any more space for their possessions, which judging by the size of van, were extensive.

"Rach," he said as gently as possible. "You've been up in my apartment before. You saw how cramped it as already. You know Mr. Ko is right. There's no way we can fit anything else in there."

At his calm explanation Rachel's demeanor softened. Her lips jutted out in a pout and she batted her eyes at Mr. Ko, already obviously in search of his forgiveness. She reached for Finn's hand and laced their fingers together. He had to keep from groaning out loud at the sheer pleasure of touching her again.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Ko," she said sweetly. In English. "I was just so thrilled by the fact that we were actually here, finally, that I let my enthusiasm blur reality. I apologize for being so rude, especially since you've been nothing but kind to Finn."

His landlord noticeably relaxed. Finn was grateful that he'd explained Rachel in detail over Dim Sum to Mr. Ko one night. He hoped the older man somehow knew how happy he was to have Rachel there and that her overly animated argument was just her channeling her excitement in a uniquely Berry way.

"It's ok," he responded, somewhat less gruff. "But there still no room!"

Rachel bobbed her head but the sight of the moving truck on the sidewalk had given Finn an idea. He looked in the direction of the vehicle; the back had been opened and the driver sat on the edge of the bed. Rowena was now inside the truck and she skipped around the boxes and furniture. He reached into his back pocket with his free hand and pulled out his wallet. Dropping Rachel's hand he pulled out a few bills and looked at the driver.

"Sir, I do appreciate you bringing Ms. Berry's stuff all the way here, but do you think there's any way you could take the truck to your parent office? Just for the night?" He extended the money towards him and he accepted. "I'm sure Rachel has your card. We'll call you in the morning and tell you where to take the truck."

The driver agreed and Rowena hopped out of the truck. Finn wrapped one arm around Rachel and put the other on Rowena's shoulder, pulling her back from the street. They watched as he drove off, leaving them alone on the sidewalk.

Rachel looked up at him, flabbergasted. "Finn! What are you doing?"

He lifted Rowena to his hip and looked back and forth between both his girls. "I'm only on a month-to-month lease here and I think we'll be needing a bigger place. I'm pretty sure Rowena's going to want her own room." He kissed the little girl's cheek first and then Rachel's. "Besides, I already know a place or two we can go see on short notice."

Rachel jabbed him in the side. "Have you been planning for this, Finn Hudson?"

He shrugged. "Not really, but I always figured that I would have to move once you both got here. I don't think the three of us would survive very long in my studio…I mean, the bathtub's in the kitchen."

She beamed at him and his heart felt full. So suddenly he had the whole world right there in his arms and he wouldn't have it any other way. Rachel always had the knack of completely catching him off guard. She always kept him on his toes and he was pretty sure he'd never tire of her surprises.

"So what do you say, Mr. Ko? Is ok if they stay the night and I end my lease at the end of the month?" Finn kept his arm firmly around Rachel.

"Of course," his landlord agreed. "I will miss you though, Finn. Good tenant. You come here to eat anytime you want."

Finn didn't even have to agree to his invitation…his compliance was pretty much a given.

After Mr. Ko had retreated into the restaurant he glanced between Rachel and Rowena. "I can't believe you're both actually here. I feel like I'm dreaming."

Rowena leaned her head against his. "It's not a dream, Finn. We're really here and we're not going home! Mommy says this isn't a vacation. We get to stay! I'm going to go to school here and take piano lessons and learn how to ride a bike in Central Park! Can you take me to Coney Island so we can ride the Ferris Wheel? What about…"

The child's extensive list of her Manhattan must-do's faded into the background as he focused in on Rowena's weight in his arm and the feel of Rachel's shoulder beneath his hand. His dream…his biggest dream…had become a reality.

_- Later - _

She was curled against his side, her leg snaked between his legs and her hand touching his heart. His arm was wrapped around her, playing with strands of the long, dark hair that fell against her back. They laid on the floor in front of the tiny fireplace, an attempt to ward off the early January draft, and were snuggled together under a quilt. He'd insisted that Rowena and Rachel take his bed but after the little girl had fallen asleep her mother had been quick to join him on the floor. They didn't really talk, afraid even their quiet conversation would awaken Rowena. Instead they just laid there, staring at each other like love-sick teenagers.

Finn didn't care though, not really at least. As pieces of Rachel's shiny hair slid through his fingers like silk he felt so much happiness and contentment that it was almost overwhelming. They were both there, in his apartment, and they weren't going anywhere. Earlier in the evening, over pizza at a neighborhood spot, Rachel had told him all about her plans. She considered contacting some people she'd known from school to see if anyone knew of any jobs she might be qualified for.

"_You can't just go find a job," he'd insisted. _

_She'd glanced up at him while taking a big bite of her salad. "Well I know the economy is difficult right now and everything but I have to at least try. I know you received some decent money when you signed your contract with the record label but we didn't come to Manhattan so you could provide for us."_

_He shrugged. "I don't see anything wrong with wanting to make sure my girl's have a decent roof of their heads and food in their bellies. You're free to do whatever you want, but please don't feel the need to rush into anything. Take some time to get Rowena settled in at school and familiarize yourself with everything. Everything will work out. I promise."_

_She reached for his hand across the table and squeezed. "I really appreciate how understanding you've been about everything, Finn, but I wouldn't feel right to just accept your charity."_

"_Baby it's not charity," he said gently. He knew that Rachel was the kind of person who was insistent on taking care of themselves but it wasn't like that at all. He wanted to take care of them. "I love you. I love both of you. We have to do this the right way. There's no reason for you to find some pointless job you'll hate just so you can pitch in on the rent. I'm here because of you. If you hadn't believed in me I'd still be in Lima, working at Burt's garage and wondering what might have happened if I hadn't given up on music. There is plenty of money to pay the rent and keep us happy. Why don't you try to remember that dream you began all those years ago…see if it's still there. You've helped to make all my dreams come true so now it's my turn to help you."_

She hadn't said anything else in regards to her future plans but she also hadn't argued when he'd suggested that they get up early the next morning and find an apartment. As they laid there Finn allowed his memory to run wild for a minute as he saw himself strolling through the park with Rachel, one hand firmly on her waist while the other pushed a stroller. Rowena rode her bike a head of them, occasionally backtracking to circle them before riding off again. It was a nice picture, one he'd always wanted, and one he finally felt was in his grasp.

"What are you thinking about?" Rachel whispered, her lips barely brushing his cheek as she spoke.

"You. Rowena. How happy I am that you're both here. I don't know what I did to deserve all of this but I think I could get used to having you around." He pulled her tighter against him and sighed when she tucked her head tightly under his chin.

"Forever?" She asked, dancing her fingers up his chest to trace along his jaw line.

He kissed her forehead. "Forever."

* * *

_- 7 months later -_

It wasn't anything like he'd imagined. It was better.

He'd been worried at first that it would take him some time to transition into the role of live-in boyfriend and pseudo step-father, but in reality it had been the simplest thing in the world.

They'd had an easy time finding an apartment. He'd made a quick phone call to Puck who, because of his job, had an extensive knowledge of the neighborhood they were interested in. He tended to see signs of tenants moving out or vacant apartments before anyone else even knew they'd existed. That had given Finn a few leads on perspective availabilities and by the end of the day they'd signed a lease on fourth floor walk-up on West 10th Street (closer to the Hudson than the university). They'd chosen Greenwich Village because it was close enough that he could walk to Joe's studio whenever he was needed and also walk Rowena to her school, which was located in Chelsea. It was also a short subway ride away from NYADA, which had turned out to a positive for Rachel.

They'd experienced a brief spell of growing pains. He'd gotten into a spirited argument with Rachel over what color they should paid the powder room. After finally agreeing on grey, she'd gotten frustrated with him when he had expressed no preference between silverplate and dovetail. But that disagreement, just like all the others, was quickly rectified. They usually spent more time making up than they ever did fighting.

And one afternoon Rachel had been out so he'd been responsible to take Rowena to her tap class. When it was time for them to leave she had barricaded herself in her room, locked the door, and refused to speak to him. After a good deal of reasoning (and a bribe or two) he'd gotten her to let him into the room. Through her tears and a dramatic dive onto her bed she'd explained: _Tap is simply not my forte, Finn!_ A quick discussion with Rachel had lead to Rowena being enrolled in a lyrical class instead, which suited the overly dramatic child just fine.

So there had been some hiccups but for the most part he was happier than he'd ever known he could be. He didn't know how he would ever tire of rolling over in the morning and being greeted by Rachel's smiling face on the pillow next to his. He liked walking into the bathroom and seeing all three of their toothbrushes in the holder that sat on the edge of the sink. He loved, at bedtime, when Rowena would beg him to sing her a song before she fell asleep. It felt like a family. It felt right.

He'd enjoyed his shift in lifestyle so much that he'd decided to take the fall off. His full-length album had been completed back in the spring and then released in the late summer. He had received some decent airplay on a few indie stations and Joe had tried to talk him into going back on tour immediately but he'd decided to take a break from the music and just focus on life for awhile. He'd agreed to play a few random shows in and around New York and an occasional weekend show if the demand was there but, for the most, part he'd transitioned into the role of Mr. Mom.

While he had been at home doing the laundry and shuttling Rowena between school and her various activities, Rachel had begun to dream again. One afternoon while he'd been slicing up oranges to take to Rowena's soccer game (it was their turn to bring the halftime snack) she had kissed him on the cheek and asked if he'd be willing to take her by himself that day. He had agreed and she'd informed him she was meeting with one of her old NYADA friends for coffee. This person was currently in the ensemble of some Broadway show he had never heard of before and Rachel seemed eager to reconnect with them and learn more about the business from someone who was actually involved in the business. When she'd come home later that night she'd practically been floating. Her friend had convinced her to re-enroll in NYADA and begin dreaming where she left off. Finn had been thrilled by her decision and had supported her wholeheartedly. Rachel was always busy trying to make everyone else happy and it was nice to see her trying to make herself happy for once.

He and Rowena sat side-by-side in the tenth row of NYADA's recital hall. It was the fall vocal showcase and they were there to support Rachel. Rowena sat and rolled her program in her hands, anxiously anticipating the start of the performances. He had a bouquet of perfect red roses laid across his lap and he laid his hand against Rowena's knee in an attempt to calm her anxiety. Truth was, he was just as excited and nervous as the small girl was. He'd heard Rachel sing countless times while in the shower or flouncing around the apartment or even when they'd recorded their demo, but this was the first time he would really be seeing her perform. He was certain she would be flawless.

Rachel was the oldest undergraduate student at NYADA, a fact that didn't concern her at all. She put 150% into her work every day. She studied at night until he could finally force her to bed and practiced so often that she'd taken a vow of silence whenever she wasn't doing something school related. She used her life experiences to further her already outstanding skills and had completely transformed herself. She was the talk of NYADA and no one was more proud of her than he was.

They sat patiently through almost an hour of performances before Rachel's name was finally announced. She was the final recitalist of the night and the crowd erupted when she walked onto the stage. Apparently she already had quite the reputation with her peers. Finn sat in silence, just like the rest of the audience did, while she sang. He was completely blown away by the passion and talent that radiated from her as she projected her voice throughout the theater. Watching her sing, watching her take yet another step to realize her dream, made him love her just a little bit more.

He glanced down at Rowena and he was sure the look on his face mirrored Rachel's daughter's. She was awestruck. He eyes were wide and her lips were formed in a perfect 'o' of fascination. He got it. Watching Rachel perform, in her element, was like watching a meteor shower or a spaceship blasting off; he was completely captivated.

"Wow," he breathed.

When Rachel finished her song she threw her arms dramatically into the air and flashed the audience her trademark smile. Without a second thought Finn set the flowers on the floor and was on his feet whooping and hollering louder than anyone else in the auditorium. Pretty soon other people in the crowd started to follow suit until every single person was on their feet…a unanimous standing ovation.

Rowena tugged on his sweater and he crouched down to give her attention. "Finn!" She hissed, "yelling is _not _proper theater etiquette!"

He laughed and picked her up so she could stand on the folding seat. "Yeah, well there was nothing _proper_ about the performance your mom just gave. Come on, RC…give her some love!"

Rowena looked at him cautiously for a long moment but then her face broke into a wide smile. She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled as loud as she could. "Way to go, Mommy! You're the best, Mommy!"

Something in her daughter's tone caught Rachel's attention and her eyes immediately landed on them. They both waved furiously as she lifted her hand to her mouth to blow them a kiss. At the same time both Finn and Rowena reached out and caught her sentiments. Rachel retracted her hand and placed in against her heart. She nodded at them and mouthed a quick, but noticeable 'I love you'.

The little girl who clutched onto his arm and the breathtaking woman who stood on the stage were his whole universe. There was no way to explain how complete he felt with them in his life. He locked his eyes on Rachel and gave her a wink. His whole life had changed so drastically in the past year and all because she'd taken a chance on him…once.

* * *

a/n: Thank you, everyone, for all of your support throughout 'Once' and 'Here the Sirens Call Me Home'. I'll be back soon with something new J Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts!


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